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Mike Lubke
Mike Lubke is a competitor in the Midwest Combat Chess League currently signed to The Legion. He has been with the team since its inception in 2007, and is one of the few competitors in the MCCL to have never changed teams. History 2007 Mike was drafted into the Legion as part of the first-ever MCCL draft. He played out his first season as a pawn with the team, and demonstrated a high level of skill in unarmed and longsword combat, but waivered with some of the lighter weapons. He finished the season with a record of 5-2 2008 Lubke began the year with a promotion to rook, where he enjoyed a successful year of growth as a fighter. He exapnded his skill set to include the heavy rapier, and developed an affinity for physical conditioning. He finished the regular season with a record of 8-3, and won 2 bouts in the semifinals against the Culverins. 2009 Lubke was promoted to king as a result of the 2009 players' strike, and immediately set out to recruiting for and training his team. He was personally responsible for the addition of several key players to the Legion, including Kathryn Jacobs, Rachel Bigelow, and Willson Borchert. As soon as the Regular season began, Mike had shaped the Legion into a very different team than the one that had played in the two previous years. They won all 4 of their remaining scheduled bouts, staying undefeated through the semifinals, and faced the Roses in the championship match. Lubke had only fought once before throughout the season, and in the end of the final match fouled (some say intentionally) Roses star player Will Bradshaw. This provoked a King's Challenge from Nathaniel Nesheim Case, which Lubke won thus securing the Legion their first championship title. 2010 The 2010 season went poorly for the Legion, as a result of Lubke's increasingly evident lack of chess strategy. While he relied on his own personal martial capabilities and those of a chosen few of his players, he found himself outmaneuvered and pinned on a number of occasions. He finished the season personally undefeated 3-0, but his team did not make it to the postseason. 2011 2011 was a year of rebuilding and re-evaluating for Lubke, after the disastrous 2010 season. He had to change his leadership approach, be more careful with his team's combat training egimen, and study board strategy more to achieve success. While he did this with no intent to make it to the championship, he levvied enough success to earn a spot in the postseason. His final season record was 5-0. In the championship match against the Cavaliers, Cavaliers pawn Jon Bigelow fouled Legion replacement Katrina Swalby after a full game of taunting and jeering Lubke. This prompted Mike to respond with a King's Challenge, who then asked the attending crowd to choose the manner in which he would beat Bigelow. Hearing the crowd cheer for an unarmed bout, Lubke tied up with his opponent and knocked him unconscious with an elbow to the head 7 seconds into the bout 2012 Lubke stated in an interview with Boards and Swords that he stepped down from the role of king so that he could engage in more bouts but still help his team as a coach, having personally confessed to being a terrible chess player. He assumed the position of Queen and nominated Nora Sachs to succeed him. Throughout the season, Lubke got what he desired, engaging in more bouts than in all his years as king combined. Not having personally trained for so many bouts in each match, Lubke found his endurance failing him, and he also suffered more losses that season than in any other. he finished the regular season with a record of 13-5. In the championship match against the Corsairs , Lubke defeated Garrett Vollmer , Calonice Meiners , Bow Ludwig , and Noah Stein to tie the MCCL record for most wins in a single championship match. 2013 Lubke suffered an injury at the hands of David P. Schneider in the preseason, rendering him unable to compete for the season. He shifted to a coaching position for a couple weeks before being released from his contract and moving to work for the league offices. He was a special guest Marshal for the 2013 Championship. 2014 Lubke spent the year in seclusion in the League archives, with only rumors as to what exactly he was doing. Fighting Style Mike Lubke is one of the most well-rounded competitors in the MCCL today. While he has had stamina troubles in longer matches, his blend of strength, speed, and timing make him a dangerous opponent. He is well versed in most of the league weapons and is an accomplished specialist in longsword and unarmed. Mike is an effective counter-striker, preferring to spend the early portion of a bout testing and analyzing his opponent's distance and timing. Once he feels he understands, he waits for an opening to exploit. Accomplishments King of the Legion (2009-2011) Undefeated in Championship games (8-0) MCCL record for most wins in a single championship game (4; 2011 championship) (tie) Category:Fighters